US unable to get allies to ban Huawei from 5G

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration’s aggressive campaign to prevent countries from using Huawei and other Chinese telecommunications equipment in their next-generation wireless networks has faltered, with even some of America’s closest allies rejecting the argument that the companies pose a security threat.

Over the past several months, U.S. officials have tried to pressure, scold and, increasingly, threaten other nations that are considering using Huawei in building fifth-generation, or 5G, wireless networks. Mike Pompeo, the secretary of state, has pledged to withhold intelligence from nations that continue to use Chinese telecom equipment. The U.S. ambassador to Germany cautioned Berlin this month that the United States would curtail intelligence sharing if that country used Huawei.

The warnings stem from the United States’ concern that Huawei and other Chinese telecom companies are a significant security threat given Beijing’s control over the industry. Top officials have pointed to new Chinese security laws that require Huawei and other companies to provide information to intelligence officials. They argue that China could gain access to the vast amounts of data that will ultimately travel over 5G, allowing Beijing to spy on companies, individuals and governments — an accusation that Huawei has vehemently denied.

But the campaign has run aground. Britain, Germany, India and the United Arab Emirates are among the countries signaling they are unlikely to back the U.S. effort to ban Huawei from building their 5G networks. Although Britain and some other countries share the United States’ concerns, they argue that the security risks can be managed by scrutinizing the company and its software.

The decisions are a blow to the Trump administration’s efforts to rein in Beijing’s economic and technological ambitions and to stop China from playing a central role in the next iteration of the internet.

U.S. government officials are now looking for other ways to curb Huawei’s global rise without the cooperation of overseas allies, including possibly restricting U.S. companies from supplying Huawei with key components that it needs to build 5G networks across the world.

“It is looking dicey. We are running out of runway,” said Mike Rogers, a former Republican congressman who led the House Intelligence Committee and has long been a fierce critic of Huawei.